Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 147

Hong Kong offers bounties for 6 more democrats

The Hong Kong government announced on Tuesday rewards of HK$1 million (US$130,000) for help in arresting six more pro-democracy campaigners, accusing them of violating a national security law and working to undermine the territory with calls for sanctions against lawmakers and independence from China.Carmen Lau, Tony Chung, Chung Kim-wah, Joseph Tay and Chloe Cheung were accused of incitement to

China’s Amphibious Warfare: History, Doctrine, and Forces

As China surrounds Taiwan with warships, it’s time to consider what military operations Xi Jinping may be preparing for. This first part of a two-part series, based on the Naval War College’s China Maritime Studies Institute’s new edited conference volume, “Chinese Amphibious Warfare: Prospects for a Cross-Strait Invasion,” distills key findings from the book, covering history and doctrine,

How Will Trump’s National Security Team Shape His China Policy?

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s views on China are often considered to be erratic and unpredictable. His first presidency led to a negative shift in China-U.S. relations. On the eve of his second presidency, Trump’s attitude remains hard to gauge. His current focus is still on the trade deficit, and he plans to impose high tariffs on Chinese goods if elected. On the other hand, he has refused

The U.N. process shows little appetite for addressing the urgent climate crisis on the Tibetan Plateau – in part due to China’s apathy.

On November 12, at the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Baku, Azerbaijan, the leaders of six Hindu Kush Himalaya countries met to discuss the climate crisis that has reached epic proportions. Out of the eight countries – namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan – only Taliban-ruled

Unpacking China’s “Four Red Lines” and Its Warning to Trump

Following Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s final meeting with President Joe Biden, which took place in November on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Peru, Beijing released a summary of the conversation that delineated “four red lines” for U.S.-China relations. The statement asserted, “The Taiwan question, democracy and human rights, China’s path and system, and China’s

Six Takeaways From the Pentagon’s Report on China’s Military

On Wednesday, December 18, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) released a 182-page report on China’s military. The China Military Power Report, as it is colloquially known, was mandated by Congress in 2000 and has been issued every year since, providing the best unclassified resource on the state of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Analysts of the PLA and China more broadly eagerly await its

China’s Xi swears in new leader of casino hub Macao, telling the city to diversify economy

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the casino hub of Macao to diversify its economy as he swore in the former Portuguese colony’s new government on Friday at an event marking the 25th anniversary of its handover to China. New Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai — Macao’s first leader born in mainland China — vowed to address the territory’s unbalanced and uncoordinated economic development.Since its 1999

China is building the world’s largest artificial island airport

China is adding yet another superlative to its aviation roster: the world’s largest airport on a man-made island. Currently under construction off the country’s northeast coast, the Dalian Jinzhou Bay International Airport will eventually cover a 20-square-kilometer (7.7-square-mile) island with four runways and a 900,000-square-meter (969,000 sq ft) passenger terminal, according to anIts

Swedish police board Chinese ship in probe over severed cables

Swedish police said on Thursday they had boarded the Yi Peng 3 vessel, which is at the center of an investigation into Baltic Sea cable breaches, at the invitation of the Chinese authorities. The Chinese bulk carrier is wanted in Sweden for questioning over a breach of two undersea fiber-optic cables in November, and has been stationary in waters nearby for a month while diplomats in Stockholm

EXPLAINED: What are China’s plans for Macau?

Chinese President Xi Jinping left Macau on Friday after a three-day ceremonial visit to mark the 25th anniversary of the former Portuguese enclave’s handover to Chinese rule, after laying out his vision for the role the gambling hub will play in his plans to boost China’s flagging economy.“Macau is a shining pearl inlaid on the coast of the South China Sea and a treasured part of our great